Turbine

ABSTRACT

A turbine includes a top cover, a bottom cover and fans between the top cover and the bottom cover. The fans extend to connect the central shaft and do not overlap with each other in the axial direction. The air sucked in through the central air inlet can swiftly flow along the fans and then be expelled out of the turbine through the circumferential air outlets. Compared with the conventional centrifugal fan, the disclosed turbine can effectively increase the air draft efficiency of the turbine. Compared with the standard turbine, the disclosed turbine is simpler and easier to process, and thus the cost can be significantly reduced.

This application claims the benefit of Taiwan Patent Application Serial No. 103139620, filed Nov. 14, 2014, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a fan structure, and more particularly to a turbine structure.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The vacuum is an appliance that uses a motor to rotate an intake fan so as to generate a vacuum pressure for dedusting. While in operating the vacuum, the dust won't be further sprayed, and the dust in some difficult corners such as in the carpet or in a narrow crack can be easily removed. Thus, the vacuum featured in convenience and cleaning capability is widely used domestically and in public facilities.

The intake fan of the vacuum is usually formed as a centrifugal impeller structure or a turbine structure. The centrifugal impeller structure adopts a centrifugal fan to act as the intake fan for the vacuum. The popular centrifugal fan, featured in simple structuring and easy manufacturing, is usually made of plastics, and is adequately manufactured by a plastic molding process. However, the air draft efficiency of the turbine at the air outlet of the plastic-made centrifugal fan is seldom to meet the requirement. Especially, while being used in a portable form energized by batteries, the energy required for operating the vacuum to meet a satisfied air draft efficiency of the turbine at the air outlet would be higher than expected. Though the air draft efficiency of the conventional turbine at the air outlet is higher than that of the centrifugal fan, yet the complicate structuring and the difficult manufacturing for the turbine has prevented it from popularity, especially in pricing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a turbine with high air draft efficiency at the air outlet, simple structuring and easy machining.

In the present invention, the turbine includes a central shaft, a top cover, a bottom cover, an air inlet, a plurality of air outlets and a plurality of fans mounted between the top cover and the bottom cover. The air inlet is formed as a hole at a center portion of the top cover. The air outlets to circle along a circumference of a casing formed by matching the top cover and the bottom cover. The fans are mounted inside the casing, and each of the fans originates at the central shaft and extends therefrom outward. In the present invention, individual projections of the fans formed along the central shaft are not overlapped.

In one embodiment of the present invention, each of the fans further includes a curved protrusion extending toward the air inlet in a rotational direction.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the curved protrusion is located within the air inlet.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the turbine further includes a plurality of auxiliary fans, each of the auxiliary fans has a frontal area smaller than that of the fans, and the auxiliary fans and the fans are arranged at intervals.

In one embodiment of the present invention, one inner end of the auxiliary fan is close but not touching the central shaft, and an outer end thereof is flush with an outer rim of the bottom cover, wherein the auxiliary fan is to divide an arc length between two said neighboring fans by a ratio ranged from 1:2 to 1:1 along a counter clockwise direction.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the inner end of the auxiliary fan is located within the axial projection of the air inlet.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the number of the fans is equal to that of the auxiliary fans, and the number is one of 3, 4 and 5.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the fan is originated at the central shaft and extends outward to have one end thereof flush with an outer rim of the bottom cover, and wherein the fans, the top cover, the bottom cover and the central shaft are together to form a plurality of chambers inside the turbine.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the bottom cover further includes a central protrusion connected with the central shaft, and a concave portion is formed as a part of the bottom cover extended from the central protrusion to a lower outer end of the bottom cover.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the turbine is a product of molding.

In the present invention, the top cover, the bottom cover and the fans sandwiched between the top cover and the bottom cover are all arc-shaped. The fan further includes the curved protrusion disposed at a position respective to the air inlet and extending in the rotational direction. Upon such an arrangement, when the foreign air is sucked into the turbine through the air inlet, the sucked-in air can be swiftly guided to pass the curved protrusions and the channels walled by the fans and the auxiliary fans, and to flow out of the turbine via the circumferential air outlets. By compared to the conventional centrifugal fans, the turbine provided by the present invention can substantially increase the air draft efficiency, and, by compared to a typical turbine, the turbine of the present invention is superior in simple structuring, easy machining and a reduced manufacturing cost.

All these objects are achieved by the turbine described below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be specified with reference to its preferred embodiment illustrated in the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of the preferred turbine in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is another state of FIG. 1 by removing the top cover;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a top view of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The invention disclosed herein is directed to a turbine. In the following description, numerous details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that variations of these specific details are possible while still achieving the results of the present invention. In other instance, well-known components are not described in detail in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention.

Referring now to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the turbine 100 of the present invention includes a top cover 110, a bottom cover 120, a plurality of fans 130 mounted between the top cover 110 and the bottom cover 120 and a central shaft 140. The central shaft 140 is the origin of all fans 130 and can be seen as the center line of the turbine 100. The top cover 110 further has an air inlet 111 located at a central portion thereof. A casing formed between the top cover 110 and the bottom cover 120 is to accommodate the fans 130. The air outlets 150 are thus located to the outer ends of the fans 130 in a manner of circling along a circumference of the top cover 110 and the bottom cover 120 (i.e. the circumference of the casing). Each of the fans 130 is originated at the central shaft 140 and extended outward. An curved protrusion 133 is extended along a rotational direction from a portion of the fan 130 at a position respective to the air inlet 111, such that the intake air entering the turbine 100 can be guided by the curved protrusion 133 to further smoothly flow out of the turbine 100 from the circumferential air outlet 150. Upon such an arrangement, the air flow efficiency can be increased. Namely, the air draft efficiency of the turbine 100 at the air outlets 150 can be substantially increased. While in operation, a motor engages and drives the turbine 100 to rotate. Foreign air is sucked into the turbine 100 through the air intake 111 by the vacuum pressure generated by rotating the fans 130. The intake air (used to be the foreign air) is then expelled out of the turbine 100 through the air outlet 150. By compared to the conventional centrifugal fan, the air draft efficiency of the turbine 100 at the air outlet 150 in accordance with the present invention is higher. Further, by compared to the conventional turbine structure, the turbine of the present invention is superior in simple structuring, easy machining and a reduced manufacturing cost.

Referring now to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the central shaft 140 of the present invention is to engage the motor, and thereby the power of the motor can be transmitted to rotate the turbine 100 via the central shaft 140. As shown, the fans 130 are arranged separately on the bottom cover, and each of the fans 130 is arc-shaped and has one end connected with the central shaft 140 and another end flush with the circumference of the bottom cover 120. Upon such an arrangement of the top cover 110, the bottom cover 120 and the fans 130, a series of the air outlets 150 can be formed along the circumference of the turbine 100. Walled by the fans 130, the top cover 110, the bottom cover 120 and the central shaft 140, the interior space of the turbine 100 is divided into a plurality of small radial chambers, and the number of the small chambers is equal to the number of the fans 130. It is noted that, in the present invention, the fans 130, the top cover 110, the bottom cover 120 and the central shaft 140 are all fixed in related positions. The curved protrusion 133 of the fan 130, with respect to the air inlet 111 is extended in the rotational direction of the turbine 100, and individual projections of the fans 130 produced along the axial direction (onto a surface perpendicular to the axial direction) are not overlapped. The protrusive curved protrusion 133 is extended within the range of the air inlet 111, but not necessary to be flush with the rim of the air inlet 111. Upon such an arrangement, when the foreign air is sucked into the turbine 100, the flow of the intake air (used to be the foreign air) is guided by the respective curved protrusion 133. For the projections of individual fans 130 in the axial direction are not overlapped, the flow resistance inside the turbine 100 for the sucked-in foreign air is low, and thus the speed of the interior flow of the turbine 100 can be increased. As a sequence, the air draft efficiency of the turbine 100 at the air outlets 150 is increased as well. In the embodiment as shown, the turbine 100 includes four fans 130, while, in other embodiments, the number of the fans 130 may be 3, 5 or any number relevant to the instant device.

Referring now to FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, preferably, the turbine 100 can further includes a plurality of auxiliary fans 131, each of which has a frontal area smaller than that of the fan 130. The auxiliary fans 131 and the fans 130 are spaced at intervals. One end of the auxiliary fan 131 is flush with the outer rim of the bottom cover 120, while another end thereof is located within the range of the air inlet 111 in a projection sense in the axial direction. Namely, an individual auxiliary fan 131 is disposed between two neighboring fans 130. By providing the auxiliary fan 131, each of the air outlet 150 formed by the fans 130, the top cover 110 and the bottom cover 120 is further divided into two small air outlets 150. Structuring of each auxiliary fan 131 can be resembled to that of the fan 130 without the curved protrusion 133. The auxiliary fan 131 is shorter than the fan 130. As a top view from the top cover 110 (FIG. 4), the inner ends of the auxiliary fans 131 (the ends close to, but not touching, the central shaft 140) can be observed through the air inlet 111. Namely, the inner ends of the auxiliary fans 131 are fallen within the axial projection range of the air inlet 111, without touching the central shaft 140. Thereby, as the foreign air is sucked into the turbine 100 through the air inlet 111, the air is turned firstly by the extending curved surfaces 133, and then bifurcated to two small channels formed by the two neighboring fans 130 and one middle auxiliary fan 131. The bifurcated flow is then to leave the turbine 100 via the respective air outlet 150 located at the outer ends of the corresponding fans 130 and auxiliary fan 131. Through such a design of the turbine 100, both the internal draft efficiency and the expelling efficiency of the turbine 100 with respect to the foreign air can be substantially enhanced. In the present invention, the number of the auxiliary fans 131 is determined by the number of the fans 130. In the preferred embodiment as shown, for the fans 130 and the auxiliary fans 131 are spaced at intervals, the number of the auxiliary fans 131 is equal to the number of the fans 130. As shown, the preferred embodiment has four fans 130 and four auxiliary fans 131, while, in other embodiments, the aforesaid number might be varied per instant requirement.

As shown, the outer ends of the fans 130 and the auxiliary fans 131 are all flush with the outer rim of the bottom cover 120. Further, for the fans 130 and the auxiliary fans 131 are arranged at intervals, each of the auxiliary fans 131 is inevitable to divide the arc length of the outer rim of the bottom cover 120 between two neighboring fans 130. In one embodiment, the aforesaid arc length can be cut into a 4:5 ratio in a counter clockwise direction, while, in other embodiments, the ratio can be 1:2, 1:1 or any relevant ratio. Namely, the exact position of each auxiliary fan 131 between the two neighboring fans 130 is not a fixed parameter in design. Preferably, the auxiliary fan 131 is to divide the arc length between two neighboring fans 130 by a ratio ranged from 1:2 to 1:1 along the counter clockwise direction.

As shown, the curved protrusion 133 protruded from the respective fan 130 is located within the range of the air inlet 111. Namely, each of the fans 130 protrudes toward the air inlet 111 by the curved protrusion 133 falling within the axial projection of the air inlet 111. The curved protrusion 133 is not necessary to be flush with the air inlet 111. However, for the curved protrusion 133 is protruded upwards over other portions of the fan 130 and the auxiliary fan 131, so the central portion of the top cover 110 is also hill up to form the air inlet 111 on top so as ensure that the curved protrusion 133 can be contained and fallen within the axial projection of the air inlet 111.

As shown in FIG. 3, the bottom cover 120 further includes a central protrusion 121 connected with the central shaft 140, and a concave portion 122 is formed as a part of the bottom cover 120 extended from the central protrusion 121 to the lower outer end of the bottom cover 120. The curvature of the concave portion 122 is not necessary a design factor, but shall meet to be smoothly connected with other portions of the bottom cover 120. In order to ensure a tight contact between the fans 130 and the bottom cover 120, the lower surface of the fan 130 facing the bottom cover 120 can be formed to be a convex surface 134 to match the concave portion 122 of the bottom cover 120.

Preferably, the fans 130 are fixed on the bottom cover 120, and the top cover 110 are also fixedly connected with the fans 130. In the present invention, the structure of the fans 130 is not complicated. Therefore, while in producing the turbine 100, the molding process can be applied, such as the injection molding or the ejection molding.

While the turbine 100 is engaged with and further driven by a motor, the turbine 100 is rotated so as to have the fans 130 to force the internal air to be guided by the curved protrusion 133 firstly, then flow in a bifurcation manner along the channels formed by the fans 130 and the auxiliary fans 131, and finally leave the turbine 100 by a centrifugal manner via the air outlets 150 at the circumference of the turbine 100. After the air is expelled out of the turbine 100, the internal pressure of the turbine 100 would be dropped to be lower than the atmosphere pressure out of the air inlet 111. Such a pressure difference would automatically draft the foreign air into the turbine 100 through the air inlet 111, and then the air circulation pattern about the turbine 100 is then established.

In the present invention, the top cover 110, the bottom cover 120 and the fans 130 sandwiched between the top cover 110 and the bottom cover 120 are all arc-shaped. The fan 131 further includes the curved protrusion 133 disposed at a position respective to the air inlet 111 and extending in the rotational direction. Upon such an arrangement, when the foreign air is sucked into the turbine 100 through the air inlet 111, the sucked-in air can be swiftly guided to pass the curved protrusion 133 and the channels walled by the fans 130 and the auxiliary fans 131, and to flow out of the turbine 100 via the circumferential air outlets 150. By compared to the conventional centrifugal fans, the turbine 100 provided by the present invention can substantially increase the air draft efficiency, and, by compared to a typical turbine, the turbine of the present invention is superior in simple structuring, easy machining and a reduced manufacturing cost.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A turbine, comprising: a central shaft; a top cover; a bottom cover, matching the top cover; an air inlet, formed as a hole at a center portion of the top cover; a plurality of air outlets, circling along a circumference of the top cover and the bottom cover; and a plurality of fans, mounted between the top cover and the bottom cover, each of the fans being extended outward from the central shaft, wherein individual axial projections of the fans are not overlapped.
 2. The turbine of claim 1, wherein each of the fans further includes a curved protrusion extending toward the air inlet in a rotational direction.
 3. The turbine of claim 2, wherein the curved protrusion is located within the air inlet.
 4. The turbine of claim 1, wherein the turbine further includes a plurality of auxiliary fans, each of the auxiliary fans has a frontal area smaller than that of the fans, and the auxiliary fans and the fans are arranged at intervals.
 5. The turbine of claim 4, wherein one inner end of the auxiliary fan is close but not touching the central shaft, and an outer end thereof is flush with an outer rim of the bottom cover, wherein the auxiliary fan is to divide an arc length between two said neighboring fans by a ratio ranged from 1:2 to 1:1 along a counter clockwise direction.
 6. The turbine of claim 5, wherein the inner end of the auxiliary fan is located within the axial projection of the air inlet.
 7. The turbine of claim 4, wherein the number of the fans is equal to that of the auxiliary fans, and the number is one of 3, 4 and
 5. 8. The turbine of claim 1, wherein the fan is originated at the central shaft and extends outward to have one end thereof flush with an outer rim of the bottom cover, and wherein the fans, the top cover, the bottom cover and the central shaft are together to form a plurality of chambers inside the turbine.
 9. The turbine of claim 1, wherein the bottom cover further includes a central protrusion connected with the central shaft, and a concave portion is formed as a part of the bottom cover extended from the central protrusion to a lower outer end of the bottom cover.
 10. The turbine of claim 1, wherein the turbine is a product of molding. 